RICHMOND, Va. β Virginia's Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin addressed Virginia the morning after voters elected Democrat Abigail Spanberger to be Virginia's next governor.
Spanberger defeated Youngkin's lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, to give Democrats a key victory heading into the 2026 midterm elections and make history as the first woman ever to lead the commonwealth.
"This is a great country. The greatest thing about the United States of America is it is a constitutional republic and as a constitutional republic, the people elect their leaders," Youngkin said. "Four years ago, I had the great privilege of being elected. It's one of the great honors that anyone can possibly be bestowed with, being elected by their citizens in order to serve them, and I know that Governor-elect Spanberger feels the exact same way today."
He said Spanberger can expect his support as his term comes to an end.
"Over the course of the next roughly 10 weeks, Governor-elect Spanberger will build her team. She will run her transition, and we will support her in that process so that she and her team can hit the ground running," he said. "We have a very clear responsibility. Responsibility one is to finish strong. We came in four years ago with an incredibly ambitious agenda, and we have worked diligently, tirelessly against that agenda, and we've accomplished an extraordinary amount. And I do believe that we will hand that baton to the Governor-elect, and she will step in to a Virginia that is stronger than it's ever been."
Also Tuesday, Democrat Ghazala F. Hashmi won the lieutenant governor's race and will succeed Earle-Sears.
Hashmi is the first Muslim woman to win a statewide office in the U.S.
Democratic challenger Jay Jones defeated Republican Jason Miyares to become the state's first Black attorney general and complete a Democratic sweep of the commonwealth's statewide posts. Democrats also retained control of the state legislature.
When asked what issues may have helped propel the Democrats this election, Youngkin pointed to Washington.
Watch: Governor Youngkin answers questions about Virginia election results
"I do think that the government shutdown is a big challenge," he said. "I think that we have 330,000 federal workers in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and to have this shutdown extending as the longest shutdown ever has been extraordinary, extraordinary for so many Virginians. People are going without paychecks. They're worried about mortgages and rents. They're worried about how they're going to feed their families. The challenge of this government shutdown is real, and I am incredibly understanding of that challenge for all Virginians. And I think it has, I think it caused quite, quite a turnout yesterday."
As for advice for the Spanberger and her incoming administration, Youngkin pointed to the economy.
"We must continue to drive economic prosperity through job creation. That is at the heart of everything," he said. "Seventy percent of our budget every year is driven by individual taxes. And therefore to have a strong revenue base, you have to have a lot of Virginians working. When we have a lot of Virginians working, we run surplus after surplus. That requires jobs."
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